Poor serum uric acid control increases risk for developing hypertension: a retrospective cohort study in China.

Background: Serum uric acid (SUA) has been suggested as a contributor of hypertension. However, reports on the relationship between changes in SUA and hypertension are limited. Hence, we aimed to investigate the potential impact of SUA, especially its change over time, on hypertension incidence. Methods: This dynamic cohort included 6052 participants without hypertension at baseline. Participants were categorized into six grades based on whether baseline SUA was high and whether changes in SUA progressed to hyperuricemia or decreased to normal levels. Grades 1 to 6 represented the participants' SUA control from best to worst. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to explore the association of the grades of SUA control and hypertension incidence. Results: During a median follow-up of 6 years, 2550 (42.1%) participants developed hypertension. After adjusting confounding factors, compared to grade 1 with the best control of SUA, the odds ratios for grades 2 to 6 with worse control were 1.347 (1.109-1.636), 1.138 (0.764-1.693), 1.552 (1.245-1.934), 1.765 (1.170-2.663), and 2.165 (1.566-2.993), respectively. RCS indicated a linear correlation between the risk of hypertension and changes in SUA, and an elevated risk in participants with baseline hyperuricemia. Subgroup analyses showed that grades of SUA control had an interaction with systolic (P = 0.003) and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001). Sensitivity analyses further determined the robustness of the result that participants with poor SUA control have a higher risk of developing hypertension. Conclusion: Poor SUA control, an increase in SUA over time, rises the risk of developing hypertension regardless of whether the initial SUA is normal or not. Initial hyperuricemia will exacerbate this risk. Effective SUA control should be an important measure for primary prevention of hypertension.

Screening for differentially expressed circRNAs in ischemic stroke by RNA sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is a disease with high rate of death and disability worldwide. CircRNAs, as a novel type of non-coding RNAs, lacking 5' caps and 3' poly-A tails, has been associated with ischemic stroke. This study aimed to investigate key circRNAs related to ischemic stroke. METHODS: RNA sequencing was performed obtain the circRNA expression profiles from peripheral whole blood of three ischemic stroke patients and three healthy individuals. Through bioinformatic analysis, differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) were identified, and GO and pathway analyses for the host genes of DEcircRNAs were conducted. The expression levels of selected circRNAs were analyzed with qRT-PCR. To further explore the functions of key circRNAs, a DEcircRNA-miRNA interaction network was constructed. RESULTS: A total of 736 DEcircRNAs were detected in ischemic stroke. Functional annotation of host genes of DEcircRNAs revealed several significantly enriched pathways, including Fc epsilon RI signaling pathway, B cell receptor signaling pathway, and T cell receptor signaling pathway. The qRT-PCR results were largely in keeping with our RNA-seq data. The ROC curve analyses indicated that hsa_circ_0000745, hsa_circ_0001459, hsa_circ_0003694 and hsa_circ_0007706 with relatively high diagnostic value. A circRNA-miRNA network, including 1544 circRNA-miRNA pairs, 456 circRNAs and 4 miRNAs, was obtained. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study may help to elucidate the specific mechanism underlying ischemic stroke.

Electrochemical sandwich immunoassay for insulin detection based on the use of gold nanoparticle-modified MoS2 nanosheets and the hybridization chain reaction.

A sandwich-type of electrochemical immunoassay is described for the determination of insulin. It is based on the use of a glassy carbon electrode that was modified with MoS2 nanosheets decorated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to immobilize a large amount of first antibody (Ab1). Following exposure to insulin, secondary antibody (Ab2) that was cross-linked to a DNA initiator strand (T0) to form an Ab2@T0 conjugate was added to undergo a sandwich immunoreaction. Subsequently, the long dsDNA concatemer was formed by a hybridization chain reaction between Ab2@T0 and auxiliary probes (H1, H2). Finally, the electrochemical probe ruthenium(II) hexaammine was intercalated into the dsHCR products via electrostatic interaction between the anionic DNA phosphate backbones and the cationic probe. The electrochemical response, best measured at a potential of around -0.21 V (vs Ag/AgCl) has a dynamic range that extends from 0.1 pmol L-1 to 1 nmol L-1 insulin, and the detection limit is as low as 50 fmol L-1. The assay was acceptably specific, reproducible and stable. In our perception, it represents a viable new tool for determination of this important clinical parameter. Graphical abstract Schematic of a sandwich-type of electrochemical immunoassay for the determination of insulin based on the use of MoS2 nanosheets modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNP@MoS2) and hybridization chain reaction (HCR).

Determination of Hepatoma-Associated DL-Amino Acids Enantiomers by RP-HPLC with Fluorescence Detector: Application in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Amino acids are increasingly being recognized as important signaling molecules in the pathogenesis of many diseases. We aim to establish a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (RP-HPLC-FLD) method for determination and quantification of hepatoma-associated DL-amino acids and to explore the relationship between amino acid concentrations and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: In this work, O-phthaldialdehyde (OPA) and N-isobutyryl-L-cysteine (NAC) served as the pre-column derivatization reagents which significantly shortened the detection time and improved the detection sensitivity. Chromatographic determination was achieved using a programmed gradient elution with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The eluted solution was monitored by a fluorescence detector with an excitation wavelength at 350 nm and an emission wavelength at 450 nm. Under the optimum conditions, an excellent quantification of DL-threonine, alanine, tyrosine, valine, methionine and phenylalanine was achieved. RESULTS: Total analysis time was shortened to less than 25 min for one plasma sample and the linearity, recovery, intra- and inter-day precision were all meet the detection requirements of the DL-amino acids enantiomers in human plasma samples. CONCLUSIONS: The developed method demonstrates that DL-threonine, alanine, tyrosine, valine and methionine obtained from HCC patients' plasma samples have a close relationship with HCC. The method would be a potentially alternative tool for DL-amino acids detection in clinical samples.

Characterization of a novel ERF transcription factor in Artemisia annua and its induction kinetics after hormones and stress treatments.

The full-length cDNA sequence of AaERF3 was cloned and characterized from Artemisia annua. The bioinformatic analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis implied that the AaERF3 encoded a putative protein of 193 amino acids which formed a closely related subgroup with AtERF1, ERF1 and ORA59 in Arabidopsis. The result of subcellular localization showed that AaERF3 targeted to both of the nuclei and the cytoplasm. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that Green young alabastrums had the highest expression level of AaERF3 in the 5-months-old plants. The qRT-PCR analysis also revealed that ABA, Wound and Cold treatments significantly enhanced the transcript expression of AaERF3. MeJA and Ethylene treatment could also slightly induce the accumulation of AaERF3 transcription.

Characterization of the first specific Jasmonate biosynthetic pathway gene allene oxide synthase from Artemisia annua.

Allene oxide synthase (AOS) is the first committed step in the biosynthetic pathway of Jasmonate. In this study, a full-length cDNA of AOS gene (named as AaAOS) was cloned from Artemisia annua. The gene was 1891 bp in size containing an open reading frame (1581 bp) encoding 526 amino acids. Comparative and bioinformatic analysis revealed that the deduced protein of AaAOS was highly homologous to AOSs from other plant species. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the protein of AaAOS belonged to the dicotyledonous group, which was consistent with the category of A. annua. Southern blot analysis revealed that it was a low-copy gene. Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that AaAOS mRNA accumulated most abundantly in leaves and flowers. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that MeJA, ABA and ethylene treatments significantly enhanced AaAOS transcript expression.

Enhancement of artemisinin content in tetraploid Artemisia annua plants by modulating the expression of genes in artemisinin biosynthetic pathway.

Tetraploid Artemisia annua plants were successfully inducted by using colchicine, and their ploidy was confirmed by flow cytometry. Higher stomatal length but lower frequency in tetraploids were revealed and could be considered as indicators of polyploidy. The average level of artemisinin in tetraploids was increased from 39% to 56% than that of the diploids during vegetation period, as detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light scattering detector. Gene expressions of 10 key enzymes related to artemisinin biosynthetic pathway in different ploidy level were analyzed by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction and significant upregulation of FPS, HMGR, and artemisinin metabolite-specific Aldh1 genes were revealed in tetraploids. Slight increased expression of ADS was also detected. Our results suggest that higher artemisinin content in tetraploid A. annua may result from the upregulated expression of some key enzyme genes related to artemisinin biosynthetic pathway.